Service-learning as a path to critical integral education: bridging holistic development and social transformation

The paper explores service-learning as a pathway toward achieving the goals of integral education. Integral education aims at the holistic development of individuals intellectually, emotionally, physically, ethically and socially, while service-learning offers students real-world experiences that connect academic knowledge with community engagement. Drawing on Gonçalves Mori’s framework for solidarity learning and on the 12 commitments of integral education developed by Esbjörn-Hargens, this paper proposes a critical integral education template to better understand how service-learning advances the goals of integral education. The paper concludes by discussing how service-learning and integral education mutually enhance each other, promoting more transformative and socially responsible educational practices.